NANFA-- Burrhead Shiner Spawning Success (FW)

Bruce Stallsmith (fundulus-in-hotmail.com)
Fri, 28 May 2004 18:26:27 -0400

Bob Muller has been working with a group of Burrhead shiners (Notropis
asperifrons) from Sipsey Fork in Alabama in order to observe their spawning
habits and activities. Since I've been working on a research project with
burrheads to describe their reproductive efforts via histological
examination of their gonadal tissues we've been corresponding. I want to
forward to the list Bob's observations of burrhead spawning in his tank in
Michigan:
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Found fry and eggs in tank. The eggs 2mm diameter with 1mm diameter yoke.
Very very clear the yoke caught a glint of light otherwise I would never
have seen them. The eggs have tube body formed more then likely 24 to 48
hour old based on other minnows eggs. fry in tank under microscope larval
poor developed mouth little pigment light gray in eyes, 4 mm long. Water
temperature 72 F. Saw but couldn't catch a 6 mm fry swimming well. Parents
show no interest in eating eggs unless they get stirred up into the water
column. Darting of fry does not attract adults.

Tank set up with florescent light egg crate diffuser covered with netting as
egg trap. Gravel 10 to 30 mm diameter covering an area 4" X 8" under power
filter out flow. This is in a 15-gallon tank.
* * * * * * * * * * * * *

--Bruce Stallsmith
Huntsville, AL, US of A
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